Projet Montréal reverses course on Camillien-Houde project ahead of fall election

Projet Montréal says it would scrap plans to close Camillien-Houde Way to vehicles if re-elected this fall, saying the project should be postponed and reworked.

Projet Montréal announced it would put the brakes on its plan to close Camillien-Houde Way to vehicles if re-elected this fall, saying the project needs to be postponed and reworked.

Party leader Luc Rabouin told CTV News the decision was about aligning priorities with what he hears from Montrealers.

“I’ve said since I became leader that our proposals have to reflect the voices of citizens,” he said. “That’s why we decided to focus our energy and resources on what people tell us matters most — homelessness, the housing crisis, and climate crisis impacts like flooding.”

Rabouin added that accessibility was also a key concern.

“We want to improve the project to be sure that everybody is able to access the mountain,” he explained, adding that this means looking at how public transit can be integrated in the plan.

The Camillien-Houde project, first announced in 2023 by Mayor Valérie Plante, would have converted the road into a cycling and pedestrian path, fully banning cars. The proposal drew some strong opposition from drivers and critics who argued the party was going too far by blocking this shortcut.

Municipal political commentator and former city councillor Justine McIntyre said the pushback was predictable.

“Projet Montréal has had several of these moments where its ambitious ideas sparked criticism, especially from the opposition, but also from drivers,” she said.

McIntyre noted that lengthy construction work already planned for Docteur-Penfield Avenue, which will be closed for up to eight years to overhaul the McTavish water pumping station, likely added to the decision.

“It’s going to make life extremely difficult for drivers in that sector,” she said. “So, given that road work, there’s a political incentive to push back this project and make sure it’s seen as a true priority.”

She added that Projet Montréal’s ideological roots sometimes run up against the realities of long-term political governing. “Once you’re in power, there’s a certain amount of compromise that happens in order to stay there,” said McIntyre.

Accusations of “copying” by opposition

The decision on Camillien-Houde was not the only reversal announced by the party in recent weeks.

Projet Montréal also promised to restore weekly garbage collection during the summer in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve if re-elected. The borough switched to biweekly pickups last fall as part of the party’s broader plan to reach zero-waste by 2030.

But opposition leader Soraya Martinez Ferrada accused Rabouin of mimicking Ensemble Montréal’s proposals.

“Projet Montréal does not listen to Montrealers,” she told CTV News. “The only reason they’re saying it now is because there’s an election coming. It’s flattering, in a way, because they took exactly what we proposed just weeks ago.”

Possible impact on votes

While Rabouin framed both reversals as pragmatic, McIntyre believes they reflect an effort to reposition the party.

“What we’re seeing is him [Rabouin] distancing himself from some of the stronger positions of Mayor Plante — him trying to shift to the middle and please both sides,” she said.

She argued the moves could strengthen Ensemble Montréal by validating their criticisms. “It’s sort of a confirmation of what the opposition has been saying all along,” she added. “If anything, it makes Ensemble’s campaign stronger.”

McIntyre warned that the strategy could also alienate Projet Montréal’s base.

“It could make militants within Projet feel like their positions are being abandoned,” she said. “And if they don’t feel spoken for anymore, they may move to a new progressive option like Transition Montréal.”

Despite the criticism, Rabouin insists his party’s focus remains clear and consistent.

“Environmental and social issues — these are the trademark of Projet Montréal,” he said.

As some promises shift and strategies continue to evolve, Montrealers still hold the final word when they head to the polls this Nov. 2.